Effigy burning: YC, cops clash

A SCUFFLE broke out between City Youth Congress activists and policemen at Mhow Naka on Saturday when the latter attempted to prevent the burning of an effigy of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. After a brief period of jostling the cops used mild force to disperse the protestors and seized the half-burnt effigy. Three YC workers are reported to have suffered minor injuries as a result of the caning.

Over 300 YC cadres headed by City president Devendra Yadav formed a human chain at Mhow Naka around 9.30 am to protest the pervasive ‘Bhay, Bhookh aur Bhrashtachar’ (fear, hunger and corruption) which, they claimed, characterised the BJP regime.

Watched on by a large posse of policemen protestors raised slogans against the government’s ‘anti-poor, anti-farmer’ policies and also charged the ruling party with attempting to inflame communal passions over Karbala ground and Gangaur ghat.

The scuffle began when the Youth Congress activists tried to burn an effigy of the Chief Minister. The cops, under orders to ensure this did not happen, moved in swiftly and tried to tear away the rag doll from the protestors.

With both groups jostling to gain possession of the effigy a scuffle soon broke out. The policemen resorted to a mild cane charge and seized the semi-charred effigy after protestors were chased away.